The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-11-16
Agricultural.
No Fear of a Forest Famine.

Here is statement from the Boston Conn
mercidl Bulletin against the sensationaism
of the theorists who, by seeking to create
alarm about an imaginary impending tree
famine, hope to induce the next congress 20
make them forest commissioners " and
appropriate half a million dollars for their
initial operations in political woodcraft
Notwithstanding the great draw upon the
wood reserves of the country, there is no
danger of exhaustion at present New En-
gland is by no means denuded of its timber
The great northwestern pineries are com
paratively unexhausted. There is also a
vigorous second growth of white pine in
New England, where the forests are already
yielding between 200, 10000 and 800, OOO, 900
feet of timber annually. Southern pine,
although stripped from the banks ofstreams
flowing into the Atlantic, is practically UNI
touched in the Gulf States, especially those
bordering on the Mississippi. The hard
wood forests of the Mississippi basin are
still prolific. In Michigan, particularly the
northern peninsula, hardwood is plentiful,
maple especially. In the Pacific coast re-
gion the great forests of Sir are particularly
intact. The forest capacity of the country
is vast. Strange to say the decmatng ele-
ment of most potence is fire and not the
axes of mercenary timber spectators. -
Tribune.
We have had a good deal of agita-
ton in Vermont on this forestry ques-
ton, and we believe we have forestry
commission to look after the matter.
We think that wood is now growing
faster in the state than it is used. In
many sections we have visited there are
acres upon acres now growing up to
wood upon land which but few years
ago was cultivated, and there is no ne
cessity for any special effort to secure
the growth of wood. Just cease cult
walton and wood will come in fast
enough. Many farmers might cut more
wood on their farms with profit, es-
pecially along fences and hedge-rows,
where, year by year, the bushes are
gradually creeping farther and farther
into the mowings. In many pastures
we have also seen the gradual growth
and increase of bushes which in a
short time will dispute with the pas
turage for entire possession. Another
place where there is too much wood
is along the highways. Twenty-Five
years ago the roads were pastured in
many places and the bushes kept down,
but now they are crowding so closely
on the travelled portion as to make pas
sage along the highways in rainy
weather, or when snow loads the
branches, uncomfortable, difficult and
dangerous. For this the authorities
having charge of the highways are re-
sponsible, having been negligent of
their duty in cutting the bushes, as they
so often are in clearing the road of loose
cobble-stones. In these particulars
there has been great lack in many
places of our acquaintance-so great
and so frequently met as almost to be-
come the rule. Roads with their sides
well cleared of bushes and the path of
stones are the exception. 1t is not at
all pleasant, when riding along in a
rainy evening, to have wet bush push
back ones umbrella, knock off his hat
or slap him fair in the face. Trim up
the bushes along the roads, fences and
hedge-rows, and cut them in the pas
lures and wherever else you don't want
wood to grow. Here is what Ben: Per-
ley Poore has to say: "For one, / have
had enough of this rehashing of the
forest literature of the Old World. The
results attained by some of the foreign
foresters may contain valuable informa-
ton or suggestions, but don't let them
be naturalized by the wholesale, even
if their republication enables men to
draw salaries as forest experts who
never planted, trimmed or felled for
est tree in their lives and who cannot
tell the difference between an oak and
weeping-willow."